Al Bianchi

Alfred A. Bianchi (March 26, 1932 – October 28, 2019), nicknamed "Blinky," was an American professional basketball player, coach, general manager, consultant, and scout. He attended P.S. 4 elementary school and graduated from Long Island City High School in 1950. He went on to Bowling Green State University, graduating in 1954, where he was voted to the All-Ohio Team and received honorable mention as a basketball All-American. From 1954 to 1956 he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

Beginning in 1956, Bianchi played for the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA. He remained with the franchise when it relocated to Philadelphia and became the 76ers for the 1963–64 season. He was one of the last proponents in the NBA of the two-handed set shot.

On May 1, 1966, Bianchi was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA expansion draft, but he never appeared in a game for them and retired as a player. He then served as assistant coach under his former teammate Johnny "Red" Kerr, the head coach of the Bulls. After a year in Chicago, he was hired as head coach of the expansion Seattle SuperSonics, compiling a 53–111 record for the new franchise.